links as promised -grr too new a forum use to post links - you'll need to copy paste - my apologies.

Modified Tesla UMC for use with J-1772 based cars - shop.quickchargepower.com/JESLA-is-THE-40-amp-J1772-portable-charging-solution-JESLA.htm

Tesla UMC directly from Tesla - send it out to be modified - shop.teslamotors.com/collections/model-s-charging-adapters/products/model-s-mobile-connector-bundle

Referal link for modification service - shop.quickchargepower.com/Service-Conversion-of-Tesla-UMC-to-JESLA-w-50-amp-J1772-plug-UMC2JESLA.htm

Tesla 14-50 ONLY UMC - shop.teslamotors.com/collections/model-s-charging-adapters/products/corded-mobile-connector-nema-14-50

Tesla Wall charger with 24' cable - will need modification for J-1772 connector - shop.teslamotors.com/collections/model-s-charging-adapters/products/wall-connector-with-24-cable

NEMA 5-20 extension cord - amazon.com/gp/product/B000HEC2DW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

NEAM 5-15 to 5-20 plug adapter - amazon.com/Conntek-1F515520-1-Foot-15-Amp-Adapter/dp/B00439KIF6/ref=pd_bxgy_60_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00439KIF6&pd_rd_r=1JM81NZTSK0CC7TZAYWJ&pd_rd_w=yCCBC&pd_rd_wg=ohbmw&psc=1&refRID=1JM81NZTSK0CC7TZAYWJ

NEMA 14-50 extension cord for those RV parks that put the plugs too far away from parking - amazon.com/Camco-55194-PowerGrip-Extension-Cord/dp/B002XL2IG8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1486469243&sr=8-2&keywords=nema+14-50+extension+cord

 

here is a document I produced a couple of years ago on the range of adapters one could carry with them to be able to charge from virtually any US AC-plug one could possibly encounter - I share this for informational purposes - USE OF SOME OF THESE ADAPTERS REQUIRES THAT YOU CAN MANUALLY ADJUST THE AMP DRAW FROM THE CAR VIA SOFTWARE - TESLA ALLOWS THIS BUT THE BOLT DOES NOT! So when you're charging off 240v via some of these adapters they will only work if you can adjust the car to pull fewer amps than the Tesla UMC believes it can pull via the adapter.

THIS POSTING IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY - ANY USE OF THIS INFORMATION AND IGNORING THE WARNING ABOUT PULLING TOO MANY AMPS FROM SOME OF THESE ADAPTERS IS ON YOU - AUTHOR ACCEPTS _NO_ LIABILITY FOR ANY RESULTS WHEN USING THESE ADAPTERS WITH A CHEVY BOLT.

My document was built from a vastly informative documented produced by another EV enthusiast (shop) - a link to their document and their handle is referenced in my prelude.

see the link following this-dropbox.com/s/32nkluihu6nwfl9/Tesla%20Model%20S%20Adapter%20Inventory%201.2.pdf?dl=0

enjoy the document - I have had these adapters in my car along with a Tesla UMC for many years now - and so far I've been able to charge most anywhere - but I have had to override the charge rate using the car's charging software adjustments to avoid popping breakers on some of the lower amp plugs I've encountered.

 

updated version of the document from "shop" that now includes links for purchasing the necessary supplies - still a great document on all the possible forms of AC plugs and how to charge from them.

cosmacelf.net/Home%20Made%20Adapters.pdf

 

Ayuh. And I thought that EldRick’s smart portable EVSE with adapters which recently sold for $158 USD on ebay, was too pricey for me.

That’s a very extensive 4-post list of options. Good to review in order to reflect on one’s needs. Personally I can forgo the panache on the Tesla items in favor of Chevy-ish pricing.

 

Personally I can forgo the panache on the Tesla items in favor of Chevy-ish pricing.

From what I can see the cool thing about the Tesla charger is that it senses what kind of adapter plug you use and automatically sets the maximum current based on it. I haven't seen any other portable chargers that have that capability.

 

The Bolt manual refers to a 32 amp setting. Is it necessary to set a current limit when using a 240v charger or does the charger and Bolt decide the current ?

 

Car and charger automatically decide - no need to set anything.

As long as you're on a 40A or more then yes the Car and charger will automatically decide up to 32A.

BUT, if you're circuit is less than 40A you will have to set the Current.

For example, I had my EVSE Juicebox with an adapter to plug into the dryer outlet (A 30A circuit) and forgot to set the Current and it popped the breaker. Once I read in the EVSE and electrical forums I found I had to set the charger at 24A to be safe. 80% of the circuit for constant loads.

But as David said, if you're on a 40A or higher circuit, there is nothing you have to set. The plugs on EVSE are made for 50A circuits.

 

Car and charger automatically decide - no need to set anything.

 

@Cehjun - my apologies - I agree there are cheaper alternatives - I can't speak to the portal EVSE you purchased but the cheaper ones I've used all had problems - I've found ClipperCreek and Tesla products to be very reliable - the Tesla UMC is waterproof and has worked well for me in the past…

I 100% to evaluate your needs and I did this post as an informational exercise and to make people aware there is an option and modified Tesla chargers can work for any J-1772 car.

as with all internet posts please evaluate from your own personal point of view and if it's not a fit - move on.

 

@Cehjun do you buy chance have a link to the charger you mentioned - google is turning up nothing (which is the research I did when I bought the Bolt) - the only portal EV chargers I can find are only 20 AMP chargers and have limited "adapter" options - which is what lead me to this post

I'd love to hear from others as to what high quality, high flexibility 40/50 AMP portable chargers they have found that work for EV's!

 

@Cehjun do you buy chance have a link to the charger you mentioned

This was the item I referred to. Probably won’t be visible on ebay much longer.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/272535987909?

David M: I was just trying to use the above as an example of my biased opinion in a self-deprecating way, on how overly expensive EVSE and adapter equipment is. IMO over time pricing has nowhere to go but down. IMO the action by Chevy and other OEMs to partner with EVSE makers is just an attempt to squeeze out what little profit potential remains as the big wave of excitement and uniqueness peters out and commoditization begins. And IMO Tesla is a sell.

I appreciate your sharing of your experiences and opinions.

 

This was the item I referred to. Probably won’t be visible on ebay much longer.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/272535987909?

That was mine, purchased for a Spark EV. I upgraded to a 30a 120/240v version for the impending Bolt, although I'm probably going to use it at 24a since I have 10ga wiring to the outlet.

 

Regardless of the wiring gauge used in the outlet you should be setting the EVSE to 24A because the outlet fed by a 30A breaker. If you swapped out the breaker for a 40A one, you could use it at the 30A setting if the wiring allowed it.

 

I have a Bolt and use a Juice Box (40 amp) charger plugged into a 50 amp 240 volt outlet. The Bolt manual mentions a 32 amp setting but I cannot find out where to set this. I have identified my home as a specific location but no option as far a setting current limits. Any ideas ?

 

Go into the juice box app. Details then top right to access the settings. You can change amps there. If you have a 50 amp could you set it to 40?

 

I was all set to go with a Clipper Creek charger because it's highly regarded, reasonably priced and American made, but then someone pointed out the Juicebox charger that seems to be all of that plus more, like phone connectivity and a nice quick release bracket so you can take it with you and put it back easy. The only thing is, there seems to be less experience with this company vs. CC.

Anybody have much info on the Juicebox?

 

While you can consider the Juicebox as "Portable", I think it's only considered that because it has a plug already on the end of the wire.

In reality, it has quite a long cord compared to many other EVSEs out there and it's thick. So you're throwing quite a bit of cord into the back.

I've only had a Juicebox and I get more information from the App and Website than the car gives. Plus the ability to set current.
In my opinion, the features that should be in the Bolt.

 

thanks alot

not sure if this will get to you, but as a potential bolt buyer i really thank you for the post about different charging options and adapters. wish the dealership had that info.

 

not sure if this will get to you, but as a potential bolt buyer i really thank you for the post about different charging options and adapters. wish the dealership had that info.

{blush} thanks - my intention really was to help - I've learned a lot in the past 4 or so years and Chevy's level of disclosure has room for improvement in this space. They seemed to have built a really really excellent eV - but they kind throw their owners into the deep end regarding charging…no real help that I can see in truly educating people about how to effectively live with an EV.

 

UPDATE: you no longer need to buy Modified Tesla Wall Charger or UMC - you now _ONLY_ need the adapter (from the same company)…

http://shop.quickchargepower.com/JDapter-Stub-Tesla-Charge-Station-Adaptor-JDPTRSTB.htm

this adapter will let you use any Tesla Level 2 charger you either purchase for yourself, or encounter in the wild…

ProTip - most Tesla owners have a Tesla UMC in the car with them - and if you're really really stuck somewhere they might loan you their adapter to use to charge your Bolt if you ask nice and maybe buy them some beer - but the key to this plan would be to have the J-Dapter already _IN_ your Bolt

The Tesla owners I've run into by and large want all EV's to succeed - and they will be thrilled to simply find another EV compatriot and if possible probably very willing to help.

 

UPDATE: you no longer need to buy Modified Tesla Wall Charger or UMC - you now _ONLY_ need the adapter (from the same company)…

http://shop.quickchargepower.com/JDapter-Stub-Tesla-Charge-Station-Adaptor-JDPTRSTB.htm

this adapter will let you use any Tesla Level 2 charger you either purchase for yourself, or encounter in the wild…

So what's the deal with using a public Tesla Level 2 charger... Are they all free, and if not how do you pay? Would Tesla owners be irate if a Chevy was using one of their chargers?

 

David - We just installed a Tesla Wall Connector for our recently leased Bolt and in anticipation of our reserved Tesla Model 3. On install, I saw that the JDapter Stub, which we also acquired, strongly states you cannot exceed 40 Amps. So I had the wall connector dialed to max 40 Amp output. When we get the Model 3 and potentially daisy chain a second station, can the Wall Connector be dialed up to 80 Amp output? i.e. Can it be upped for the Tesla and maybe a slave added that is limited to 40 Amps for the Bolt? Either way, excited to have faster charging at home and know that your posts here definitely helped me decide what to buy and install.

Have you seen any issues with your Bolt using the 48 Amp output you have?

 

The Bolt charger is only 32A, so it will never pull anything more than that from your EVSE. You can safely set it to over 40. Just don't use the JDapter on any EV that will exceed 40A. AFAIK, nothing currently on the market with a J1772 port will pull more than 40A (and only the Mercedes 250e has a 40A charger - the rest are 32A or less).

 

What DucRider said!

 

I wonder, is the J1772 design inherently limited to just 40 amps, or are they just playing it safe? I hope it's the later because otherwise it means that this SAE "standard" may have to be abandoned soon as cars with more powerful batteries and more powerful chargers come along. It will mean building out the whole non-Tesla charging network all over again.

 

 

Clipper creek makes a J-1772 70 AMP charger and I've used a 70 amp charger in SLO, CA - I also used to own a 48 AMP charger and the Tesla chargers can go up to an 80 amp charge rate which is also based on J-1772 standard..

It is not limited to 40 amps.

 

not that it makes a big difference - since it still requires purchasing an adapter or having it modified to have a J-1772 plug on the end - but Tesla has lower the cost of their wall chargers (20-80 amps configurable with proper install) by $50 or about 10% - but as I mentioned to use it with a Bolt you either need to "add" J-1772 plug to it - or buy a pricey adapter…

still news of the day is $50 cheaper for a high capacity charger with load sharing options.

https://electrek.co/2017/08/23/tesla-reduces-price-home-connector-10/

 

Easily the most amazing post on the forum, thanks for sharing.
A thought just occurred to me. I was thinking about getting the mobile charger + adapters + Tesla to J1772 adapter (expensive) in case I get a Tesla in the future. But every Tesla comes with a mobile charger, so I shouldn't have to worry about this issue and simply get the already converted unit.

 

you are correct - every Tesla comes with a UMC - so you don't need to worry...

I no longer recommend getting the Tesla charger's modified to a J-1772 plug- rather the $250 adapter is a better solution - and one you can carry with you in the Bolt to make use of other Tesla chargers you may encounter in the wild.

I still recommend a Tesla UMC w/Bolt + adapter so that you have a world class 40 AMP mobile charging solution that can charge from most any NEMA plug you might encounter in the wild, but that's a pricy bit of insurance and may not be everyone's cup of tea.

 

I see, you recommend the adapter in case one encounters Tesla destination chargers in the wild. So the ultimate setup would be Tesla UMC + J1772 adapter + other 240v adapters? No need for other 120v adapters because Bolt charges 12a max at 120v, right?

P.S. I don't own a level 2 charger at all.

 

correct - but the Tesla UMC comes with a standard household plug 120 volt/ 12 amp - so you can charge using that if you have to (I got 20% battery in my Bolt last week overnight at a holiday inn charging on the 120 volt plug near the lobby entrance - woot for me)

The Tesla UMC comes with two "plug adapters"

NEMA 5-15 adapter - standard house hold plug - 120 volt @ 12 amps - 1,440 watts - excactly the same plug as the L1 charger included with the Bolt.
NEMA 14-50 adapter - standard RV 50 amp hookup found all over the place in RV parks & camp grounds - these plugs are 50 amp circuits which provide 40 amps of continuous charge rate - the Bolt will happily charge at 32 amp when plugged into one of these beauties....

adpaters available for additional cost for the UMC are as follows:

NEMA 5-20 Adapter - these are 120 volt plugs at 20 amps (15 amp charge rate) - Bolt doesn't support this - it will only charge at 8 or 12 on 120 volts - other EV's however do support this and will charge at this rate at 1,800 watts
NEMA 10-30 - old style electric dryer/water-heater plug - 30 amps, 24 amp charge rate
NEMA 14-30 - new style electric dryer/water-heater plug - 30 amps, 24 amp charge rate
NEMA 6-50 - arc welder/pottery kiln plugs - often found in machine shops and mechanic's garages for their arc-welder - 50 AMP 40 AMP charge rate- Bolt will charge at 32 amps from this plug.

https://shop.tesla.com/us/en/produc.../us/en/product/vehicle-accessories/model-s_x-nema-adapter.html?sku=1014355-10-B
https://shop.tesla.com/us/en/produc...uct/vehicle-accessories/model-s_x-mobile-connector-bundle.html?sku=1025821-00-G
http://shop.quickchargepower.com/JD...daptor-JDPTRSTB.htm;jsessionid=95006871FD28C62781A845E060A4EB8F.p3plqscsfapp006

Tesla destination chargers are hard wired chargers installed nationwide at hotels and shops and sometimes rest stops - depending on the install you'll find anywhere from 20-80 amps - all you need to use them is:

1. permission
2. http://shop.quickchargepower.com/JD...daptor-JDPTRSTB.htm;jsessionid=95006871FD28C62781A845E060A4EB8F.p3plqscsfapp006

the current destination charger map is here:
https://www.tesla.com/findus#/bounds/49.38,-66.94,25.82,-124.39?search=destination charger&name=usa

all of these chargers are in addition to any J-1772 charger or DCFast charger you might encounter.

So if you have a Tesla UMC + J-1772 adapter in your car you can:

1. charge at any J-1772 charger - standard with the Bolt
2. charge at any DCFast/SAECombo charger - standard with the Bolt

3. charge at any Tesla Destination Charger - all you need is the adapter pigtail - the Tesla UMC is _NOT_ required for this type of charging
4. charge at most RV parks/camp grounds or most anywhere you encounter a 120 volt/ 240 volt plug - you need a portable EVSE (like the Tesla UMC) and if necessary the Tesla to J-1172 adapter pigtail

Reminder to those playing along at home - the Tesla to J-1772 adapter will _NOT_ let you use the Tesla Supercharger network - it is for standard Tesla AC charger's _ONLY_ - Tesla's Supercharger network is it's own blend of DCFast charging and requires specialized hardware, activation, and a car that supports it. Do NOT plug this adapter into a Super Charger.

 

I own all the UMC adapter in 4 years of traveling the west cost I have used the following adapters in rank order…

35% NEMA 14-50
25% Marine Shore power pigtail - converts Marine shore power plugs to standard NEMA 14-50 plugs - I've found these at many outdoor concert venue - not just marinas - example Sonoma Raceway in the SF Bay Area has like 4 of these power outlets in the parking lot - 50 amps of power for charging your EV - if you have the right adapter ;-) http://www.cordtec.com/productsDetails.asp?id=852&classId=124
20% NEMA 5-15
10% NEMA 6-50
5% NEMA 5-20
5% NEMA 6-30 - 30 amp @ 24 amp charge rate - DIY adapter I made - Laguna Seca has these plugs in their garages for race car tire warmers

I have never used/needed - but I own

NEMA 10-30
NEMA 14-30
NEMA 6-15 - 240 volts @ 15 amps - sold by quick chargerpower.com - but I"m told some motels/hotels use them for their in room airconditioners

 

Great post David - thank you for spelling this out. I've seen other guides but they are DIY, I don't have a lot of time and would rather buy a finished product. FYI most of these oddball adapters are also available on Amazon if you prefer that.

 

This thread has been super helpful helpful. I ended up making an adapter to turn my stock charger into the 12A/220V charger.

I couldn't bring myself to spend the money on the Tesla UMC, but did have a Chinese charger made that can do 32A with a NEMA 14-50 plug for $330 shipped via Alibaba. I probably should have explicitly asked that it be programmed to support more than 8/16/32A, but it's probably good enough for how I'll be using it.

I haven't yet found a place that I can use some of the other plugs, but I figure that it'll be handy for trips out to the Olympic Peninsula from Seattle.

 

A new Bolt Owner that needs some clarity.
1. The 110 volt cable that came with the car only is to be used for 110 volts/15-20 amp circuits, and is basically useless, correct ?

2. To charge at a RV park, I would need a portable EVSE, with a male 14-50 plug and a female j1752 plug for the car, correct?

Thanks...

 

1 - it can be helpful in a jam, or if you are visiting somewhere for a weekend etc. you can also make a 240V adapter and draw 12A. that will cut the charge time in half.

2. yes - except its a J1772 (not j1752). lots of these available. Trailer/provincial parks around me use TT-30 plugs which are all but useless for charging EVs because they are 120V. The situation is better in the US I understand.

 

Great, thanks for all your assistance.